“A lot of young people voted to stay in and my Facebook feed was full of people saying they wanted to remain, so I thought that’s the way it was going to go.”

Courtney Smith, 35, is from Michigan, Detroit and went to university in Leeds.

During a return trip to Leeds to see friends, she said: “I was just in London for a week and every one there seemed nervous but thought it would be remain.

“So it was surprising to hear it went the way it did.

“Everyone I know was dismayed.

“We look at the EU and think it would be great to have the kind of resources on offer – to be able to live in so many different places and travel so easily without the long lines at customs.

“To us, we are surprised to see that you would walk away from it.”

She added: “America is so divided at the moment as well.

“It is a little scary because everyone I know in the US thinks there is no chance Trump will win.

“But seeing the EU vote going the way no one expected is a little unnerving.”

Meanwhile in Leeds, organisers of the city’s bid to be the European Capital of Culture will hold discussions to find out if it will be affected by the country’s decision to leave the European Union. The city had been vying for the title for 2023.

Leeds was one of only three council areas across the Yorkshire region where the majority of voters wanted to keep the United Kingdom in the EU.

Backers for the bid insisted Leeds was still a European city despite the outcome of the referendum yesterday.

The title of Capital of Culture has been hosted by cities outside of the EU before but not by a city in a country opting to leave the union.

Sharon Watson, chair of the Leeds 2023 Independent Steering Group said: “We are working with the organisers of the European Capital of Culture Competition to determine if there is to be any impact of this decision on those cities in the UK wishing to bid for the title.

“Previously countries including Norway and Iceland, both of whom are not part of the EU, have hosted the title.

“Regardless of political alliance, Leeds continues to be a European city, hosting and exporting work across the continent and working with partners across Europe. These strong relationships will continue across the artistic community.”

Hull is the UK’s capital of culture for 2017.

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